Tag: Interval Training

  • Time Management – How to Master it.

    Time Management – Gaining the Upper Hand.

    Time Management - How to Master It
    lukasbieri / Pixabay
    • Have you tried to manage your time more efficiently but still seem to fall short?
    • Do you find it difficult to get things done on time?
    • Are you getting distracted easily?

    Maybe it’s time you look at time management in a new way. Perhaps it’s time to make a game out of it and make it more fun. Managing it doesn’t have to be boring or monotonous.

    If you can make it a game and challenge yourself, you’ll enjoy it a lot more and even get more done. Try it and see.

    Use a buddy.

    Having someone to hold you accountable will cause you to get more done because you have to check in with them. It can also be a lot of fun having a friend keep you in check. You get to chat for a few minutes each day and share your ups and downs too.

    Having someone you check in with can really boost your focus and productivity, especially if that person doesn’t cut you any slack. No playing around or surfing the Internet when you know you have to account for your time and work ethic to someone else. In a way, it’s like having a boss. You wouldn’t slack on a job in the outside world, why slack on yourself if you work from home?

    This applies to your daily work routine, as much as your gym workouts.

    Make a guessing game out of it.

    You can either do this for yourself or ask someone else to guess the number. Asking someone else makes it more of a challenge. Look at your to-do list and guess how many items you can tick off in a certain amount of time. If you’re doing this with a friend, tell them how many items you have and have them guess how many you can tick off. Then get busy doing them to see if you can get them all done in the time allotted.

    Use a timer.

    A timer is a great device to get your productive brain flowing. There’s something about racing the clock and know it’s ticking down that gets you motivated and in super productive mode. You can use your kitchen timer, a timer on your smart phone or download one of the free timers online. There are many to choose from.

    If you have a long list and expect to check in with your accountability partner you may want to set the timer for an hour and see how much you can get done in that time. If that seems to intimidating for you, start with 15 minutes to see how much you can accomplish. For big tasks, you may want to set the timer at 30 minutes to give yourself time to get a good working flow.

    In between productive times of using your timer you will want to take breaks. Trying to push yourself too hard will only leave you feeling frustrated which will kill your motivation and desire to get things done. When working out, be sure to change routines, step outside for some fresh air or just use Interval Training.

    Getting a grip on time management can seem like a daunting task. If you make it fun and challenge yourself to get things done, or have someone else to challenge you, you will eventually master it, get more done at  work or at home and you might even enjoy the process.

    Making a game of it isn’t something you want to do every day, but once or twice a week can be fun and really help you hit productive mode so you’re checking things off your list in a timely manner.

    Finally, time management needs to become second nature if you are to succeed.

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  • Elliptical Exercise Machines – What to look for when buying one

    Elliptical Exercise Machines – Five  Features to Look For Before Buying.

    Elliptical Exercise Machines
    Elliptical Exercise Machinesjaneb13 / Pixabay

    Buying an elliptical machine? Here are 5 key features to look for when shopping to help you find the very best elliptical exercise machine.

    1) Forward and Reverse motions

    The ability to move in a forward or reverse motion adds variety and challenge to your workout. It works different sets of muscles and results in more calories burned overall.

    This also reduces your risk of repetitive use injuries common with some treadmill and stair climber users. Most elliptics have this option but it’s always a good idea to make sure.

    2) Adjustable resistance

    Quality elliptical machines will have a range of resistance levels. Increasing the resistance increases the calories burned. It also helps you continue to challenge your body as your fitness level improves.

    Look for an elliptical machine that makes resistance changes simple (i.e. one-touch resistance adjustment) so that interval training sessions can be easily incorporated into your workout

    3) Upper body workout arms

    While you really don’t need these for an effective workout, many people prefer them. They do help to provide resistance training for your upper body – and again, result in more calories burned.

    However make sure you don’t have to lean over while using them which can diminish the effectiveness of your workout (this can happen on many of the cheaper elliptical models).

    4) Quiet operation

    Look for an elliptical machine that is specifically designed to stay quiet. A truly well designed elliptical machine should be fairly quiet at all intensity levels.

    Also – cheaper ellipticals can develop a squeak after a few months of heavy use so be careful to buy a quality brand of elliptical machine and steer clear of the cheap department store models.

    5) Elliptical Incline

    It used to be that only high end, commercial elliptical trainers offered this option however lately more affordable models are offering incline on several of their machines.

    Incline is not the same as resistance. It changes the incline of the elliptical motion and helps to work different sets of muscles for increased fat burning and toning.

    Elliptical exercise machines give you a low impact, safe workouts that burn a maximum amount of calories in the least amount of time.

    Make sure those 5 key features are available in the one you are buying.l machine. Then you’ll be assured you will get the complete workout  you need.

    Finally, using Elliptical Exercise Machines regularly produces spectacular results. Get yours now!

     

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  • Interval Training Workouts – Burn Fat, Boost Metabolism

    Interval Training Workouts

    Interval Training Workouts
    RyanMcGuire / Pixabay

    Do you want to burn fat and lose weight as fast as possible?

    Interval training workouts can be great way to do it, especially if you can only devote limited amounts of time to exercise.

    It’s a great way to boost your metabolism and improve your body’s endurance levels due to the intense production of lactic acid during interval training.

    Additionally, the time needed to recover between workouts is greatly reduced.

    Interval Training WorkoutsWhat Is Interval Training?

    Interval training requires bursts of activity in between periods of rest.

    Imagine running, then walking, then running, then walking, that is interval training.

    Workouts can vary, using a variety of activities and mixing things up will avoid reaching plateaus common to other repetitive workouts.

    Use a personal trainer if you want a program written for you.

    You can also find downloadable interval training workouts online that will generate suggested workouts.

    A few good examples of interval training workouts are listed below.

    Interval Training Workouts – Examples

    Note: It’s important to start every workout routine with a warm up period and to end  with cooling down stretches.

    Hydration is also imperative!

    • Use a stationary bike for interval training workouts. Consider 1 minute of fast peddling and then 5 minutes of slow to moderate peddling.
    • Alternate between jogging and running fast. (Tip: use a timer two minutes at a time).
    • Try high intensity workouts to build endurance but do this after you’ve spent some time becoming physically fit. High intensity interval training workouts aren’t ideal for beginners.
    • Experiment with various interval training workouts to keep things interesting. Some options to try could include stair climbing, cycling, walking, boot camp style workouts, speed drills, and plyometric training.

    Varying your interval training will not only increase your metabolism and help you burn fat while building endurance but it will keep things interesting as well.

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